1. “MOONLIGHT VCT”:
Reaching High Risk
Populations
Along The Highway
AUTHORS: Job Akuno1
Rayola Osanya-Nyynéque1,
,,
Malinda Wheeler1
, Andrew Ndunda1
, Geraldine
Musango1
, Jonathan Musyoki1
, Elizabeth Marum2
1
HOPE worldwide Kenya, 2
CDC Kenya

2. VCT SERVICES
• HOPE worldwide Kenya (HWWK) provides
VCT services along Nairobi – Mombasa
Highway
• 5 permanent VCT sites
• Makindu,along the highway, Kibwezi – just off the highway
• Mukuru slums, Rongai and One Stop Youth Resource
Centre
• Mobile VCT to underserved peri-urban, rural
communities and highway towns

3. MOONLIGHT VCT SET UP
• Identified “convenient” space at truck stops
• Modified semi-loaded container
• Tents used as counseling rooms
• Reception table
• Video discussions – outreach/education
• Posters and vehicle announcements

4. Nairobi– Mombasa Highway
• Major transit route in East Africa
• Over 1,000 trucks parked each evening
• Hot spots of sex workers
• Reported higher HIV prevalence among
truckers FSW than general population

5. MONTHLY MOONLIGHT
 Highway truck stops – 10 towns
 Night-time VCT services and STI treatment
 1 week per month from December 2005 to May
2006

6. MOONLIGHT METHODOLOGY
• Advance mobilization in each town
• Condom promo and distribution
• Musician and video through the night
• One tent used for STI treatment
• Generator for electricity

7. Results from Moonlight VCT
768
595
23
253
195
49
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
Clients Seen Clients Tested HIV +ve
#Clients
Male
Female
4% 25%

8. LESSONS LEARNT
• Night time services are both convenient and
private.
• “Moonlight VCT” is feasible and well
accepted
• Effective both along and off the highway
• More people than just truckers access the
services
• Condom packaging determines demands

9. CHALLENGES
• security for staff and equipment
• lack of referral sites open at night
• lack of appropriate accommodation for staff
• highway noise
• disruptions caused by drunk and disorderly
bystanders.

10. RECOMMENDATIONS
 VCT sites should adjust service hours
to promote VCT as entry into care.
• Moonlight VCT should be extended to
many more towns and communities.
• Intensify work with sex workers and
truckers to include other preventions.
• Need for “convenient” drop-in centers
for comprehensive care.

11. For further information
Job Odoyance Akuno
youth program
Manager
HOPE worldwide Kenya
Box 11775
Nairobi 00100
akunojob@yahoo.com
Job.akuno@hwwafrica.org
+254-733-934-797
+254-723-850-599

12. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• “Strengthening STD/HIV Program”
by Prof. Ngugi and Chester Morris
• Ministry of Health, Makindu and Kibwezi
• Provincial Administration in Makueni District
• CDC Kenya Mobile VCT Department
Special recognition:
• Nicasius Kamani, HOPE worldwide Kenya
(HWWK)
• VCT counselors at HWWK-Makindu and
Kibwezi